TERRIFIC TERRARIUMS
Plant and learn
The real test for any kid product is whether it’s fun for Mom and Dad. DuneCraft’s Dome Garden kits definitely pass muster. From the Desert Biodome, featuring sensual little succulents, to the Carnivorous Creations kit packed with quirky bug eaters, these themed terrariums are a delightful distraction from outdoor digging and weeding. Available for $25-$30 at select neighborhood garden centers, Toys R Us, and online at dunecraft.com.
SOME LIKE IT HOT
Scratch-cooking connoisseurs
Despite its California-centric perspective, many a Western gardener looks to Sunset magazine for planting and cooking inspiration. Those arts commingle perfectly in the magazine’s local-food blog and corresponding new book, “The One-Block Feast: An Adventure in Food from Yard to Table” ($24.99, Ten Speed Press), by Sunset food editor Margo True. The book mirrors the magazine’s eye-candy design and includes dozens of recipes, sample menus, gardening advice and such adventurous projects as pressing olives for oil and making cheese. — Elana Ashanti Jefferson
